Kaelen has not heard of any specific vulnerabilities associated with ghouls or ghasts, their smarter relatives with the intense stench. They are immune to charm and poison, never tire or get weak from hunger, they are resistant to necrotic damage. In addition to curses and spontaneous response to cannibalism, they can also be created by fell arcane magics. Ghouls rarely speak but do retain some intelligence, though reduced from life and easily overwhelmed with hunger. Their ghast cousins are as intelligent as they were in life, and in rare cases they are led by a ghast with magical abilities

Kaelen informs the others of what he has recalled. He tends to agree with Arista that it is safer to move on for now, but if someone can make a strong argument for heading into the cave he might reconsider.

Arista listens in grim silence, then nods once, tightening her shield strap. She closes her field notes, marks a discreet waypoint on a nearby stone, and gestures a quiet withdrawal from the arch. Turning on her heel, unless someone objects, she heads back along the trail at a steady, purposeful pace, returns to the cart, and sets the team moving toward Threshold.

Asariel is happy to return to Threshold 

You all leave the ancient village and burial mound, notating its location for your reports. You return to the main path and spend the rest of the day traveling.

The day passes uneventfully and you make camp for the night, taking the usual precautions, like the earthen berm.

Arista circles the campsite in measured strides, scoring the perimeter with her staff’s iron tip before whispering runes to pull up a shallow trench and throw a low berm inward. She packs weak spots with stones and fallen limbs, leaves a narrow gap as a choke point, and marks quiet paths to cover. After checking the mules’ tack and the wagon lashings, she douses stray embers, sets her bedroll beside the choke, and settles in for her watch—shield within easy reach, quarterstaff across her knees, eyes on the dark. 

The night passes calmly, though a brief shower wakes you up and triggers a squabble amongst the kobolds.

I'd like a survival check, you can make it with advantage. (I assume someone helps)

Asariel will help 

[[Advantaged Survival Check: 17]]

You make very strong progress and reach the old bridge where you fought the basilisk and cockatrices. The temporary bridge you had built has been destroyed by whether but with that survival roll you are able to find a good position and arrange the wreckage to cross. You camp for the night, realizing you could reach Threshhold tomorrow, well after dark if you push hard.

Do you push hard to get there early or do you try the safer method of taking your time and at least one more night in the woods?

Asariel puts one vote for safer method and an extra night.

Mathias voices his preference for taking the conservative route, the route that would keep him in the wilds for an additional day.

Kaelen also voices his preference for the safer method, seeing no need to risk themselves by rushing.

Evening encounter check (1): 5 
Daytime Travele encounter check (1): 5

Your next 24 hours go smoothly. As you make camp for the final time this mission, Arglen and the other kobolds speak up. "We near the human settlements, this is going to be where we part ways. Thanks for allowing us to earn our rewards and hopefully make friends in these woods."

Arista sits by the fire with her tool roll open, selecting a thin plank from a spare crate slat. She sketches a quick outline of her namesake shrub, then carves two palm-sized badges—a stylized bough framed by a simple knotwork ring. She sands the edges smooth on a flat stone, burns in a faint maker’s mark with a heated nail, and threads each with a leather thong cut from an old strap. Rising, she presses one badge into the kobold leader’s hand keeping the other for presenting at threshold, then taps the carved shrub with a calloused finger, and states—in her plain, steady way—that this is for recognition. She adds that she will inform Threshold’s leaders of their aid and that the token name them as guides friendly to her company. Then she nods once, firm, and returns to tightening the wagon lashings for tomorrow’s march. 

Asariel will perform an evening dance, a dance symbolising the friendship between two parties most would assume to be enemies. A tale of unlikely help, and even included a bit of the shaky start with an almost deadly encounter turned to urgent healing. 

Kaelen checks over his notes as evening settles in, adding additional details where needed. He glances up occasionally to observe Asariel's dance, but the meaning behind it is difficult for him to grasp.